I’d gladly do it. We got to get ABL back here somehow!
Also too, I love begging and hoping-against-hope songs, so I’m making this a regular feature until ABL comes back. Jewish Steel is a big Clapton fan and requested I start with this one. What are your favorite beg-you-to-take-me-back songs?
J
Please, don’t. It’s rather nice without her bizarre, overwrought and visually annoying OMFG I am a drama queen who loves BOLD AND ALL CAPS posts.
Trainrunner
The most abject of the category:
“You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” by Dusty Springfield.
Talk about co-dependence!
Raven (formerly stuckinred)
This doesn’t fit but so what
It’s a Thin Line
cleek
dokken. alone again.
and, really, there’s more than enough hand-wringing and freak-out here already.
Poopyman
Well, it’s NOT the Hall & Oates song that frickin’ mops sing to housewives on those abominable commercials. I’m more of a Nillson breakup kinda guy.
ETA NOT that that applies to ABL. Baby come back!
Big Baby DougJ
@J:
I don’t want this blog turning into “Fresh Air”, do you?
Corner Stone
“I ain’t missing you at all”
trollhattan
This one, right here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6NNGVHrqho
Incoherent Dennis SGMM
You’re right, DougJ. BJ suffers from a paucity of closed threads.
Raven (formerly stuckinred)
Petty “Crawlin Back”
I’m so tired of being tired
Sure as night will follow day
Most things I worry about
Never happen anyway
Corner Stone
@Big Baby DougJ: What does that even mean?
Anne Laurie
As I understand it, ABL (Imani) was “taking a break” because she’s got a new, paying gig at thegrio.com — shouldn’t we be pleased she’s got a wider audience?
Or do you know something the rest of us don’t? I’m sure she’s still got the keys to the dashboard, and Cole hasn’t taken her address off the right-hand column (which I think she’d insist on, if she didn’t intend to come back here in her own good time.)
Violet
Doesn’t fit exactly, but it’s close. The Bed’s Too Big Without You — The Police. An old boyfriend put it on a post-breakup mix for me when he was trying to woo me back. So it fits the category for me. Love the song.
lamh32
@Big Baby DougJ:
what is “Fresh Air”?
Big Baby DougJ
@cleek:
I like the Gilbert O’Sullivan original better.
lamh32
Does this one count?
James Brown – Please, Please, Please
Corner Stone
@Anne Laurie: I like the way you keep adding an extra “t” in there at the end of thegrio.com
What, are you a racist?
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Steve Earle singing Warren Zevon.
Reconsider Me.
Big Baby DougJ
@lamh32:
That show with Terry Gross that is the aural equivalent of mainlining valium. On NPR. I do listen and like it, but man it is drama-free.
Violet
@trollhattan:
Oh, man. That was on the same mix from the same boyfriend. He had it bad.
Big Baby DougJ
@Violet:
That was my next choice!
trollhattan
@Violet:
You had him under some kind of spell–that voodoo that you do? :-)
Corner Stone
Why can’t you get it that she just sucks balls?
And not in a good way.
Big Baby DougJ
@Violet:
Aren’t you quite the heartbreaker?
Strandedvandal
She’ll be back. If for no other reason than to piss off the trolls.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Big Baby DougJ: I like it too, depending on the guest, but I think it may be the ultimate Totebagger experience
Violet
@Big Baby DougJ:
It’s a fantastic song, isn’t it? The bass line is amazing.
lamh32
@Big Baby DougJ: Oh, ok. I’ve never listened to NPR.
Tom Levenson
Not a song, but the first lines to 12th night work pretty well.
If music be the food of love, play on;
Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die.
That strain again! it had a dying fall:
O, it came o’er my ear like the sweet sound,
That breathes upon a bank of violets,
Stealing and giving odour! Enough; no more:
‘Tis not so sweet now as it was before.
O spirit of love! how quick and fresh art thou,
That, notwithstanding thy capacity
Receiveth as the sea, nought enters there,
Of what validity and pitch soe’er,
But falls into abatement and low price,
Even in a minute: so full of shapes is fancy
That it alone is high fantastical.
Come back ABL! You are missed!
Svensker
It’s not “come back” but it’s the most intense “please love me” song ever. Layla, of course.
Big Baby DougJ
@Violet:
The fact that Sting is the anti-Christ or at least the anti-Elvis almost makes it that much sweeter. I hate that fucker.
Anne Laurie
@Corner Stone: Just irredeemably old-school. But thanks for the correction.
Heliopause
Bell Bottom Blues is pretty much it. In fact, the above referenced LP pretty much ended history for the genre.
joel hanes
What are your favorite beg-you-to-take-me-back songs?
The Temptations, Ain’t Too Proud To Beg
Bonny Raitt, Love Has No Pride
Laura Nyro, The Bells
Big Baby DougJ
@lamh32:
I make fun of it a lot, but it’s worth checking out. “American Routes” is awesome, I can’t recommend it highly enough. It may be American Public Media or other non-NRP thing that is just like NPR, I can’t keep it all straight. Whatever it’s on, it redeems the whole medium.
lamh32
As to ABL, I liked her commentary, I follow her on Twitter and I follow her blog, I thought she was great.
Corner Stone
@Anne Laurie: I’m here for you Anne Laurie. I’m here for you.
Big Baby DougJ
@joel hanes:
Heard that on “American Routes” on Saturday. So good!
Violet
@trollhattan:
This guy had more music than anyone could count. It was his thing. Like the guys in “High Fidelity”, I guess. Making mixes for me was his way of communicating, I think. At the time I was too young to get it, but it’s so obvious now.
I did get a lot of good music out of it!
Violet
@Big Baby DougJ:
Well, I did have my moments. :P
gocart mozart
What happened to ABL? I liked her.
different church-lady
@Anne Laurie:
At this point I’m just happy anyone in this country is actually getting paid to do anything.
Yutsano
ABL will continue to be ABL. And people will continue to be annoyed at that. Which means she must be doing something right.
Steeplejack
This is an old favorite of mine: Tyrone Davis, “If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time.” Plus it has that old-school soul realism that I think ABL would like. And it reminds me of Smoove B. at The Onion.
Check this verse at 0:52:
His line reading on “the hurt keep gettin’ stronger” is awesome.
SiubhanDuinne
Why is everyone talking about ABL in the past tense? That’s just wrong and creepy.
kth
Terry Gross is the best broadcast interviewer with a decently-sized audience in this country, period.
I’m gonna rap on your door, tap on your windowpane. If Aretha won’t bring her back, the case is hopeless.
Redshift
The Cardigans’ “Lovefool” comes to mind.
Uncle Clarence Thomas
.
.
@gocart mozart:
She decided to take her grifting to a whole new (paid) level.
.
.
joel hanes
[Layla] Bell Bottom Blues is pretty much it. In fact, the above referenced LP pretty much ended history for the genre.
While I loves me some Derek and the Dominoes, I begs leave to differ. Yes I does.
Dave Mason, Bring It On Home To Me
SiubhanDuinne
By the way, that picture? At the top? Why does that girl have all those cauliflowers in her head?
Big Baby DougJ
@Redshift:
Henry Rollins: I think [“Lovefool”] was a combination of pretty girl with a neat hook, and when you see a pretty girl sing “tell me you love me”, when does it ever really happen in your wretched life? Never.
Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason
Really?? No Linda Ronstadt yet? The queen of heartbreak?
Long Long Time
I Fall To Pieces
Bet No One Ever Hurt This Bad (sorry, no link)
and her version of Love Has No Pride
danimal
@Corner Stone: There’s a bad way?
Big Baby DougJ
@Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason:
Mmmm…Patsy.
Corner Stone
@Uncle Clarence Thomas:
Grifters gonna grift.
Corner Stone
@danimal: Unfortunately…yes.
Corner Stone
@Yutsano: How very Broderish of you.
Redshift
@Big Baby DougJ: Heh. I loves me some Henry Rollins, but I think the lyrics are a little more clever than that. And while the Cardigans may have been a one-hit wonder, they did have cult hits like the awesome team-up with Tom Jones to cover “Burning Down the House.”
Big Baby DougJ
@Redshift:
I agree that the Cardigans were (are?) pretty good. But, at the same time, that does sum the song up, no?
Paul
Stones – Miss You.
Also, “Don’t Go Back to Rockville” by REM is a great passive-aggressive come back to me song.
Incoherent Dennis SGMM
@Corner Stone:
She found that while being drunk all the time was bad for an attorney it was fine for blogging.
burnspbesq
@Poopyman:
That’s the one. Faux Hall & Oates at its worst. Fender Rhodes and phase-shifted 335. Yikes!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn-enjcgV1o
Corner Stone
@Incoherent Dennis SGMM: She was hopelessly conflicted.
It happens sometimes.
Stillwater
@Incoherent Dennis SGMM: Ya know, coming from you this makes no sense at all.
Big Baby DougJ
@Paul:
I love that song. Michael Stipes is a friend of a friend and I think that song captures him perfectly.
PIGL
Whipping Post
Positively 4th Street
Tonight (The Softboys)
TuiMel
For some reason, I thought of “Silver Spring” by Fleetwood Mac…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud2XKt2N8fs&feature=related
burnspbesq
So many great country songs on this topic. Here’s one of my faves.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h9f-nx1KtY
Sam Houston
I will leave you with this I heard on NPR a loooong time ago. Ice-T was talking about the Blues and he said (paraphrasing from memory) when you get down to it there are only three kinds of blues songs:
1) Baby I love you.
2) Baby I love you, don’t leave me.
3) Baby don’t leave me, but if you do don’t take the car.
Corner Stone
@Stillwater:
Hmmm…hmmmm…
TuiMel
@kth:
Thanks for that reminder of that song. I had forgotten how much I loved it…
kth
@Sam Houston: Ice-T v Aimee Mann. Rappers battling folkish white girls (cf ODB and Shawn Colvin at the Grammies, Kanye and Taylor Swift) is so reliably funny there should be a sitcom.
TaMara (BHF)
@Yutsano: Amen brother. And I do miss her. I suppose I could add another blog to my rss feed, but a girl does have to get some work done.
@Corner Stone: And Corner Stone, honey, you can go suck some big hairy ones, ’cause that seems like your style. If you don’t like her, don’t fucking read her posts. It’s amazing how simple it is…if your head isn’t up your ass.
Arclite
@Corner Stone:
I’m not exactly sure, but doesn’t she swing the other way?
fuckwit
I liked her posts. They were funny rants. I like funny… and comic relief is useful in times like these.
She’s kind of like BJ’s version of Hunter from the GOS. I love Hunter’s stuff for the same reason: over-the-top, funny, screaming rants are useful every once in a while.
Gotta blow off steam somehow. Unlike the teabaggers, we have words, not guns, for that purpose.
Omnes Omnibus
Mink DeVille, Maybe Tomorrow
Big Baby DougJ
@kth:
Awesome.
Cap'n Magic
Oh, man, where to begin…
“Since The Last Goodbye”, “The Very Last Time” – Alan Parsons
“Since you’ve been gone” – Rainbow
“Twenty Four Hours A Day” – The Partridge Family (yes, I’m going there, and I’m being gentle here-don’t make me bring out the Terry Jacks heavy ordinance on y’all….)
and for those who are of the “don’t let the door hit you where the good lord split you” mindset:
“I Hope I Never” – Split Enz
“Shacked” – Vertical Horizon
“Salt In My Tears” – Martin Briley
Stephen1947
Not having time to scroll through all the responses (as much as enjoy it), I hope I’m not the only one who mentioned Blink-182 playing “Always.”
Stephen1947
Also – add my name to the petition hoping that ABL comes back.
dww44
@cleek: you got that right.
Oops, I’m supposed to be lurking, not commenting. But, I, too, didn’t know that ABL had departed this blog.
Arclite
@Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason: I think my favorite “Come back to me” song (other than Layla) is Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) sung by Darlene Love on the Phil Spector Christmas album. Love the harmonies and the longing and emotion in Love’s voice.
Uncle Clarence Thomas
.
.
@Corner Stone:
Can a backroom deal with Miss Jane Hamsher be far behind? I’m monitoring her IP address closely and will report anything suspicious.
.
.
Arclite
The one “come back to me” song I can’t stand is Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing Compares 2 U.
gogol's wife
I miss ABL.
Keith G
@Yutsano:
Dick Cheney annoys the fuck out of me.
Just saying.
Omnes Omnibus
@Keith G:
My guess is that Dick Cheney actually pisses you the fuck off. It’s different.
Corner Stone
@Uncle Clarence Thomas: Uncle Clarence Thomas, please let us all know post motherfucking haste if a new IP shows up in dissent.
PIGL
How can I miss you if you won’t go away?
Corner Stone
@TaMara (BHF): Honey child, I’m going to make sure you and I aren’t strangers any longer.
Uncle Clarence Thomas
.
.
@Corner Stone:
I certainly shall. I have it on good authority that she may be using the moniker “Grand Funk Railroad” – because of her basic honesty, of course.
.
.
worn
@Big Baby DougJ: Hey Doug –
Michael didn’t write that tune.* Mike Mills did. I’d say it’s quite the feat that he so perfectly captured Mr. Stipe with an autobiographical song. [/snark]
That said, it’s one of my faves from the jangly years. And I remember when Radio Free Europe broke locally in ’81…
*The ‘tell’ is that it’s lyrics are concrete and comprehensible, at a time when Micheal wasn’t particularly know for either.
Corner Stone
@Uncle Clarence Thomas: Uncle Clarence Thomas, things happen, events run their course, and the sheer weakness of the spirit of humanity embodied by weak people like TaMara shine so dimly it’s sometimes hard to see.
Please stand vigilant in our stead.
KS in MA
@lamh32: James Brown counts as #1 every time!
Big Baby DougJ
@worn:
Yet he does!
It always sounds to me like it’s sung to another man, not to a woman. Don’t you think?
Wag
@worn:
My favorite era for REM. First time I saw them couldn’t understand a thing out of Stipe’s mouth, but what a voice.
Pale Blue Eyes fits the bill for come back to me songs quite nicely
Samara Morgan
i’ll summon her for u
/draws blood pentagram on monitor
ABL! ABL!
send the firebaggers all to hell!
Samara Morgan
yesssss, preferably naked.
Thoughtcrime
More longing than begging, but a favorite,
“I Go To Sleep” (The Pretenders cover, not The Kinks original)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JD4M0iluv5k&feature=related
Cap'n Magic
Mahler Symphony No. 10 (Mazetti realization) Final Movement – the last six movements are about as affirming as the come.
“Wind’s Nocturne” – Jenny Stigle (song was used in the Flash Animation “Shi’s Story”)
“Take My Hands” – Yoko Kanno
TX Expat
Not really a come back to me song, but this is one of my all time favorite love songs. Now that I think of it, this encapsulates John’s longing for his baby momma well.
Anything anything
Wag
@Big Baby DougJ:
My ex did her Masters thesis in Zion NP, and lived in Rockville. I can’t help but think of her when I hear the song.
Fucen Pneumatic Fuck Wrench Tarmal
more of a guilty pleasure than a favorite
maybe it will help.
republica drop dead gorgeous
TX Expat
@TX Expat:
Linking on the IPad not so good. Try this for a great Dramarama song.
ETA: I’ll give you candy, I’ll give you diamonds, I’ll give you pills, I’ll even give you hundred dollar bills just marry me, marry me, marry me
worn
@Big Baby DougJ: Well you know, I never thought about it that way. Now I’m gonna have to queue it up with some different ears on.
But truth is, it probably wouldn’t have occurred to me way back in the day for I was, um, a whole lot less enlightened on matters of teh gay.
J
Sorry DougJ, I don’t listen to NPR and don’t know of this “Fresh Air” of which you speak and which other commenters describe.
and I love Yutsano’s Broder-esque defense of ABL. Hilarious.
Big Baby DougJ
@worn:
Also, you know, Athens has a very active gay culture in a way that Rockville probably doesn’t. Waste another year, in the closet in nowhereville. The song really works on that level.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Wag:
Heh. Perfect description, especially the early stuff. Not too long ago somebody posted the clip of their first appearance on Letterman, when Stipe went off and sat at the back of the stage when Dave came out to chat with the band.
Wag
@ Jim…
A voice like a slide guitar on shrooms.
cg
“Is no word from you at all the best that you can do? Never meant to push or shove you, do you know how much I love you–no you don’t, but I do.” Hal Ketchum, “Past the Point of Rescue.”
I miss ABL on this site also, too.
Cliff in NH
I want more angry black lady.
Gimme More. (pretty please with pizza on top.)
ps, ABL gets to pick the toppings when she reappears!
Uriel
@Big Baby DougJ:
Hey! I like Fresh Air!
On the other hand, now that I think about it, I do vaugely recall being rather fond of valium in my youth as well…
Never mind.
Corner Stone
@TaMara (BHF): Oh TaMara. Honey Child. I love you so and eagerly await your return.
Please come back to me baby.
Joseph Nobles
I hope ABL posts again as well. She certainly has acquired all the right enemies here.
Uriel
@Corner Stone: Just out of curiosity, do you ever get bored of… well, you know, being you?
Matt Mangels
This BJ reader is certainly not missing ABL one bit. Also, I find the “if she has all these enemies she must be doing something right”argument pretty funny. As if the more enemies a person has correlates to their virtue. George W. Bush should become a front page poster if that’s the case.
JPK
Shangri-La’s, “I Can Never Go Home Anymore”
http://youtu.be/ZLvmbCtCmH0
Cautionary tale for ABL!
Cliff in NH
@Matt Mangels:
Yup, m-chan = stupid/ridiculous, got it.
Cliff in NH
@Matt Mangels:
If you can’t tell the difference between a troll and a fact, I feel for you ..
ok..
Ha. Ha
No I can’t feel that at all.
Bush, Really?! HAHAHAHAHAAHAHA!!!!
eemom
I’ve been on vacation. What drama did I miss?
Comrade Colette Collaboratrice
Alone Again – Or…
Come back ABL!
eemom
Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone.
You know you know you know you know you know you know you know you know
Don’t you, Uncle Clarence?
ABL
What?! No Ben Folds Five?
Give me money back
give me money back, you bitch
And don’t forget to give me back my black t shirt
(thanks doug and those who aren’t still living the dream being resident BJ dickwigglers.)
::cough::
Bago
ABL is what blogging is all about. Ranting, invective, and letting one’s freak flag fly. On a blogging site named Balloon Juice.
Yutsano
Don’t make me go to teh Taylor. I’ll do it. I’m crazy enough.
The Moar You Know
Crawl on the floor? For her?
Fuck that. Glad she’s gone and hope she stays gone. She contributed absolutely nothing but drama and butthurt.
I’d rather see Four_Loko made a front-pager than see her back here again.
ABL
your impotent vitriol gives me strength, dear.
Yutsano
Fine. Y’all made me do this.
ABL
Et tu, Yutsy?
Et tu?
ABL
Et tu, Yutsy?
Et tu?
Yutsano
@ABL: Moi? I didn’t do nuffin’. Well except give suzanne nightmares for another week or so. You’ll recover.
niknik
This blog needs moar ABL.
Raven (formerly stuckinred)
A friend of a friend of Michael!
ciaran
hmmm, honestly i wasnt a fan of hers. we’ill leave it at that.
bob h
I wanted to hear what ABL has to say about “The Help”.
Commenting at Balloon Juice since 1937
The Avett Brothers – Shame
Trinity
ABL is good people.
Paul in KY
@Stephen1947: I should have mentioned it, as I saw them in concert last Sunday.
Paul in KY
@ABL: You’re welcome!
Laertes
I hadn’t noticed she was gone, but now that you mention it, I suppose she hasn’t done her drama queen thing in a while. Can’t say I miss her. She had a way of making the entire blog all about her.
She loves attention too much to stay away for long. She’s the kind of person who likes to piss in the punchbowl and then laugh at the “trolls” who complain about it. But it’s nice while it lasts, anyway.
Cap'n Magic
@Yutsano: I’ll see your Taylor Swift and raise you a Terry Jacks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd_Fdly3rX8
Shinobi
I know this is late, but this is my favorite ever, called “Title of the Song.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoCGKFg-WYw
Lojasmo
I follow her in FB where she remains redidculous as always.
I miss her here because she makes all the trolls paint targets on their nuts and anuses.
wrb
It makes no difference
Lynn Dee
The Stones: Under My Thumb
Etta James: I’d Rather Be Blind
NobodySpecial
The stamping ground
The stamping ground
All your old friends still hang around
Coming in with the same blokes
Going home with the same jokes
If you ever go missing, I know where you’ll be found
The stamping ground
wrb
can’t believe no one has posted I Want you Back
les
@Big Baby DougJ:
Great show; and for years I’ve heard it as “American Roots.” Duh.
kideni
I’m always so late to these things. Kent, “Romeo återvänder Ensam” (“Romeo Returns Alone”l fan video here). If you don’t know Swedish (what, you don’t? I don’t either), here are the lyrics, but it seems to be about returning to the site of a summer romance, but it’s winter and everything’s boarded up, snowed over, wrecked, and washed out to sea.
Svensker
@les:
It’s not? It’s “routes”? Well, double duh.
LanceThruster
Though probably not suited to the tiff with ABL, I feel the ultimate in sour grapes songwriting is Tonio K’s H-A-T-R-E-D (with the closing line – “But then agiain maybe with the help of counseling we can work this out.”)
Oren
If it’s not too late: “More than I can stand,” by Bobby Womack
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6_AX4zZjcE&feature=player_embedded#!